Feeding machine for making tacks, nails, and the like



Nov. 26, 1940. SNELL 2,223,233

FEEDING MACHINE FOR MAKING TACKS NAILS AND THE LIKE Filed'March 15, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 AND THE LIKE J. H. SN ELL Nov. 26, 1940.

FEEDING MACHINE FOR MAKING TACKS, NAILS,

Filed' March 15, 1939 5 Sheets-Shee t 2 406 11 for J. H. SNELL 2,223,233

AND THE LIKE Nov. 26, 1940.

- FEEDING MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKS, NAILS,

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 15, 1939 Illllllllllll Ks w 4 Kr Mama- 116 J. H. SNELL Nov. 26, 1940.

FEEDING MACHINE FOR MAKING TACKS, NAILS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 15, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 z I g W W .MN an QQN NON 0% I *N ON. on W Q Q 6 0 on Mm 5 0E 0 w 5 mm *3 i W Na MM 8 X. Juu w a I MN. QN NQ NW HQ I I Nb fi \F Q\ Q we. & R ww Em E M8 3% N J? Q Q a? w E a M 8 mm RN Nu NW NHN m3. awn ob ow 3 m, ME. Mn QMN hm mm 0% mw mm Q J. H. SNELL 2,223,233.

v FEEDING MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKS NAILS, AND THE LIKE Nov. 26, 1940.

.5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 11106116221 I Cl f va rmy [IIIEIIIIIIII NM v a a H hm a a 2 .5 O y 8 NW. mm. 2.. 51 S NM Nm. mm wwu, 3 g um A v mu Q m QNN o N 3N MN MN 0 NM ma wnw HVN NNII. IQMH 7 $3.. N*N\ r www 93 RH .m mm n \N wv a o Iw Q L: N I--- 3H m r@ 3N NWH NH OWN. J mv H kw um i g Q 5% 9% %N Q Ma 8 Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES FEEDING 'MACHINE FOR MAKING TACKS, NAILS, AND THE LIKE J. Henry Snell, Brocktcn', Mass.

Application March 15, 1939, Serial No. 262,023

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to the art of tack and nail-making, and relates more particularly to automatic feeding mechanism for handling the metallic strips or wire to the cutting, heading, and forming dies.

Prior to my present invention it has been customary-in the making of tacks, nails, or the like to provide a cutting and heading machine which will cut short lengths of metal from a strip being fed into the machine, and head, hammer, or swage one end into a head of the completed tack or nail. Also, prior tack-feeding devices have usually relied upon the action of a follower, in the shape of a rod, which would abut against the outer end of a strip of material and exert a pushing or feeding action thru a weight swung over a pulley and connected by a cable to the follower, thus forcing the strip into the cutting and heading devices.

As it is usually desirable to form the tack or nail with the end opposite from that which is being formed into the head, to a taper to simulate a point, it has previously been customary to present the metal strip at an angle and rotate the same thru between successive cutting oil? and heading operations.

Various attempts have been made to provide a feeder carrying a plurality of strips, but such prior feeders, as far as I am aware, relied upon cylindrical barrels or the like carrying strips of material and adapted to be brought successively into cutting position by a partial rotation of the barrel or magazine carrier.

Numerous diificulties have been experienced with all such prior methods, which involved considerable time for refilling the magazine, resetting the weight-driven follower, as well as constant diiiculties with the partial rotation of the metal during successive cutting and heading actions.

My present invention aims to obviate the difficulties above briefly outlined and, furthermore, to provide novel, improved, efficient, and positiveacting mechanism for handling the metal strip by providing positive feeding means in place of the prior ravity-actuated devices, arranging a novel and improved magazine structure carrying a large plurality of metal strips, providing effective and positive means for the oscillation or rotation of the strips and, furthermore, eliminating the difficulties during the strip-rotating operation between cutting actions, by mechanism automatically actuated to lift and to move rearwardly the metal strip from engagement with the cutting die during successive strip-cutting operations.

A further important feature of my present invention consists in the construction and arrangement whereby the feeding mechanism is so efficient that a single operator can attend to a larger number of machines than has heretofore been possible.

A still further important feature consists in the feeding devices and the speed of operation pos-- sible, giving my present mechanism a greatly increased capacity of output, together with a more uniform product.

Additional features consist of means and mechanism for moving the entire strip-holding and feeding devices rearwardly between successive cutting actions and during the rotation, or partial rotation, of the strip-feeding means to prevent contact of the end of the strip being cut with the cutting dies and, hence, to prevent injury, damage, or scarring of the edge of the strip about to be cut.

In my present application I have elected to illustrate and claim broadly the machine and method wherein the rotation or oscillation of the strip-holding and feeding mechanism, between successive cutting operations, is effected; and

in my copending application Ser. No. 340,255, filed June 15, 1940, I have illustrated and claimed my improved mechanism wherein a complete rotation thru 180 of the strip-holding and feeding. mechanism isprovided.

While I have also herein shown, for illustrative purposes, a magazine and feeding means utilizing straight, fiat strips applied to the carrier in stack or magazine formation, I mayralso utilize rolls or coils of strip material, feeding and rotating, or partially rotating, the-same to the for the cutting and heading ferred embodiment of my invention, showing my improved machine adapted to carry out my improved process,

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating in diagrammatic form a typical type of tack or nail-cutting and'heading machine with my improved striphandling and magazine structure;

Fig, 2 is a plan view embodying the cutting and heading machine; 7

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; v I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view shown in cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

-matic views illustrating the movement of the strip-holding instrumentali-ties during the rotating action thru 180;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of the stripgripping and feeding devices; 1

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line |3-|3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the strip-gripping and operating means as shown in the top plan View of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary View partly in crosssection of the yielding clutch structure;

Fig. 16 is a side View of the strip-gripping and feeding devices when in inverted position;

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view on the line of Fig. 13;

- Fig. 18 is a fragmentary view illustrating an adjustable cam structure;

Figs. 19, 20, and 21 are, respectively, side, bottom plan, and cross-sectional views on the line 2|2| of Fig. 19 illustrating the strip-retracting mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, I have illustrated in diagrammatic form a well known and standard type of nail and tack-cutting and heading machine, comprising a base I, supported on suitable standards 2-2, and carrying a pair of upstanding side brackets 3 to which is journaled :a shaft 5 carrying a driving wheel 6, adapted to be rotated from any suitable source of power, and operating the movable cutting die Ill thru an eccentric and the heading die l2 thru a rocker arm |4,- rocked by a link It also actuated by an eccentric on the shaft 5, as is usuaL- A forwardly extending bracket I8 carries the lower .fixed shearing die 20 adjustably positioned on the bracket |8 and on which the metal strip 2| rests during the cutting action.

This strip 2| is the lowermost of a stack or pile of corresponding strips, designated generally at 22 constituting the magazine, the lowermost strip of the stack 22'becoming the directly fed strip 2| when the rear end of the strip 2| has been fed forwardly beyond a gate, as will be described.

The entire strip-feeding, rotating, holding, and

strip-retracting devices are pivotally supported on a ,bolt 25 on a forwardly extending bracket 26, which is secured to the front of the base I, or may be cast integrally therewith. This pivotal capacity is for the purpose of swinging the feeding instrumentalities to present the desired bevel or angle on the end of the strip 2|, where it is cut by the moving cutting die I!) against the fixed shearing die 20. This is desirable because of the varying requirements of thickness and width of material being handled, as well as for the resultant size and weight of head for the finished tack or nail.

For this purpose a frame or beam has its forward portion resting on the bracket 26 and secured by said pivot bolt 25, this beam extendtion thereon by the bolt 25, as above explained,

and may be thus adjusted for alignment of the strip-holding and feeding devices carried by the frame for cooperation with the cutting dies. To effect this adjustment, a pair of side arms 40, which may be formed as a part of the bracket 25 and on each side of the same, extend beyond the end of said bracket and are provided with upstanding portions adjacent the curved adjusting block 3|, and are each provided with adjusting screws 42 (see Fig. 1), being threaded thru the end portions of the arms in alignment with the block 3| to effect the horizontal adjustment of the beam on the pivot 25, which pivot holds the same and also provides for vertical adjustment for cooperating alignment with the cutting dies.

The two bearings to support the strip-holding and feeding devices will now be described. A forward bearing is mounted on a stand 44 secured by bolts 38 (one not shown) to the beam 30, as previously noted, and a similar stand 45 is secured by bolts 46 (one not shown) to the rear portion 36 of the beam. Each of these standards 44 and 45 extend upwardly in the form of a hollow square frame or housing 50 (see Figs. 5, 6, and '7), which frame is provided in opposite sides with a plurality of adjusting screws 5|, 5| and thrusting screws 52, 52 to hold V-shaped bearings 55, in which bearings a rotatable wedgeshaped member 56 is adapted to slide, said member being secured by a flange 5'! thru U-shaped bolts 58 to the strip-carrier in the form of a barrel 6|]. I

The V-shaped bearings being vertically arranged thus permit the rotatable member 56 to slide vertically while rotating thru 180, and these two sets of bearings, spaced as shown in the housings 50, 50, hold the blanks, barrel 60, and feeding devices in substantially balanced relation. Secured to the forward portion of the barrel 6|] is a blank supporting plate 6| to support and carry the forward part of the stack 22, as well as the bottom strip 2| being fed into the cutting dies, said supporting plate 6| fitting into a detachable nose-piece 62 (see Fig. 13), which different sized blanks.

This arrangement of the V-shaped bearings rotatable in the vertical guideways 55 thus permit the lifting and rotation of the strip 2|, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11. Also, the V-shaped bearings provide a thrust bearing to counteract the action of the cutting dies which cut the strip 2| on a bevel and, hence, exert a rearward thrusting action.

In order to effect the lifting and turning of the blank-carrier barrel and plate 6|, while permitting the lifting action of the plate as just described, I provide a pair of cams 65 each rotatable in the-housing 66 and positioned adjacent the frame or housing 65 and also secured to the barrel 60 and supporting plate 6|, so that :as the latter is turned, the position, construction, and operation of these cam bearings 65 will act to lift the entire strip and blank carriers and attached devices during the operation of turning thru 180 to present the alternate faces of the strip 2| to successive cutting operations. N i

This is more fully and graphically illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11. Also, this turning operation, while keeping the strip 2| in alignment with the cutting dies, is permitted by the rotatable bearing 56 in its guides 55, as just explained.

Thus, it will be seen that in the operation of turning the strip and strip carriers and associated devices thru 180 alternately, the strip 2| is positively lifted above the level of the lower cutting die 28 while said strip is turned over, thus freeing the strip from any dragging, scarring, or damaging on its edge portion.

Referring to. the diagrammatic showingof Figs. 8, 9, l0, and 11, I have indicated a vertical line Q8 passing centrally thru the strip 2| and its carrier, the barrel portion 60 being indicated for illustrative purposes. During this turning operation, caused by the action of the cam 65 and the rotatable V-shaped bearing 56, the strip 2| is positively lifted while a vertical line 69 diametrically thru the strip carrier is being turned from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the inverted 180 position shown in Fig. 11.

This is a very important function and feature of my present machine and invention, preserving the edge portions of the blank 2| being cut by the dies; whereas, formerly, the end of the strip 2| was constantly forced against the edge of the cutting dies during this 188 rotative operation by the continuous action of a feeding weight, thus scarring, marring, and injuring the edge of every blank cut from the strip, particuarly as the cutting dies are of hardened steel while the strip 2| is of softer metal.

This feature, in combination with my novel and positive strip-feeding means, which acts intermittently only, constitutes a most important advantage, as will be readily appreciated.

in order to provide an adjustable surface for each cam 65, I provide wearing strips I0, 10 (see 7 secured by bolts 7|, 1|, which also constitute adjusting means for alignment with the other bearings and the cutting dies. Each cam 55 is secured to a flange 12 (see Fig. '7) and bolts '13, 13 threaded into tapped recesses in the workcarrier 6| and also is positioned in alignment by adjusting screw 14-14.

The removable nose-piece 62 at the forward end of the work support 6| is of usual construction and comprises a pair of flange-shaped guides l5, '55, each pivotally mounted on a screw l6, 16 secured to the nose-piece 62, these flange members being thus free to swing and partially enclose or grip the strip 2|. In order to exert a gripping and guiding tension on the strip 2| closely adjacent the cutting dies El and 29, a pair of flat springs 71 are secured at opposite sides of the work-carrier 6| by screws 13, 1B, which springs extend in the rear portion of each flange member l5, 15, thus tending to rock the same on their pivots l6 and exert a yielding'pinching and ding action at the forward end portion of these members 15, as will be clearly appreciated, and as shown in Fig. 12.

An adjustable guide or stop 88 is alsoprovided against which the edge of the strip 2| is held by the action of a spring 8| exerting a yielding tension on the opposite side, see Fig. 2, this stop 38 and spring 8| being suitably secured to the upwardly extending portion |8 of the cutting and heading machine.

My novel strip-feeding mechanism will now be described. This consists of a set of gears acting thru a pawl and ratchet and operated intermittently during the rotative action of the blank carrier thru 180 of each alternate blank-cutting operation, thru a cam surface secured to the blank carriers. As best shown in Fig. 16, I secure a plate 84 to a front face of the forward frame 50 mounted on the bracket 44, which plate has an adjustable cam path 85 secured thereto by ;5

a pair of headed screws 86, 86 with their shanks extending thru a slot 81, see Fig. 18. This cam path is traversed by a roll 88 mounted upon one end of a slide 90, which slide extends thru bearings in cross-braces 8|, 9| secured to the supporting plate 6| by attachment to the side frames 92, 92. In these side frames are the bearings for the axles of the feeding gears and the pawl and ratchet, via, the gears 96, 91, 98, and the ratchet wheel 99, the latter which is operatedby the pawl Hlil secured to the slide 9|].

Positioned on the slide 9|) is a lug ||i| to which is secured a spring Hi2 adapted to bear upon the pawl Hit and hold the same yieldingly in engagement with the ratchet wheel 99 and, hence, to move said ratchet Wheel by engagement of the teeth with the pawl Hill as the roll 88 rides up onto the cam path 85, and, hence, moves the slide 99 to the right, viewing Figs. 1, 2, and 16, thus partially rotating the ratchet wheel 99. This wheel 99 is mounted on an axle I04, which axle carries the intermediate gear 91 in line to rotate the gears 96 and 98 on the opposite side of the frame 92 from that on which the ratchet wheel 89 is mounted. This ratchet wheel is loosely held on the axle Hi l by a friction clutch I95 held yieldingly by a spring I06 bearing upon the clutch member I03 and a block I01 mounted on an axle W9 and held in adjusted position by a threaded nut I08.

Thus, in case of any obstruction to the feeding of the strip 2|, the ratchet gear 99 will slip on its axle Mi l and cause no damage or injury. The gear 96 is mounted on the axle Hi9, which carries a toothed gear I l6 intermediate the bearing plates 92, which gear is of suificient diameter and adapted to extend thru an opening in the adjacent part of the work-supporting plate 6| (see Fig. 13) and impinge against the forward end of the bottornmost strip of the stack' 22 to facilitate the feeding from said stack of the bottommost strip, as well as to continue the feeding action on the strip 2| after it is separated from the strip and is being fed forward toward and into the cutting dies.

Just forwardly of this feeding wheel I I0 is a gate ||2 adapted to act as a stop for the stack of strips 22 but spaced sufliciently from the top surface of the work support 6! to permit the bottommost plate in the stack to be forced thereunder.

In order to provide a proper adjustment for this gate, I mount the same on a pivot H6 secured to upstainding pairs of plates secured at each side of the support 6|, having a crossbar 8 thru which are fitted thrusting and tightening screws H9 and I21], respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 13. Thus, an accurate adjustment of the opening underneath the gate I I2 is provided and suitable for adjustment for handling strips of varying thicknesses.

In order to hold the forward portion of the stack 22 downwardly with some tension so as to cooperate with the feeding action of the toothed wheel N], I arrange a spring IZI secured by a bolt I22 to the inner side of the cam 65 in position to bear upon a cross-member I25 secured on a shaft I26 extending crosswise and adapted to traverse a groove I21 in each plate In order to exert additional tension, when decross-member I25 upwardly during the refilling of the stack 22.

I may also provide a bridge I33 (see Fig. 13) which facilitates the feeding and guiding of the stack into position against the gate H2 and on which also the leaf spring I2! may rest when the last strip is being fed thru the gate.

While the feeding action of the wheel H0, as

above explained, is suificient to feed forwardly a strip from the bottom of the stack and to continue such feed to the end of the bottom strip of thestack 22, yet it is also desirable to have an additional feeding means forward of the gate I I2 to continue the feeding action on the strip 2! -afterit has left the position of the feed wheel I I and before the next succeeding plate in the stack 22 has dropped down behind the rearmost end of the strip 2! being operated upon. This occurs as the end of the strip 2! passes thru the gate I2; whereupon the succeeding strip then becomes the member 2! and abuts against the end of the forward strip.

' To provide this additional feeding means, I arrange an upper and lower toothed feeding wheel, the lower feeding wheel I35 being mounted on an axle I3! to which the gear wheel 98 is keyed, and the upper feeding wheels preferably comprising a pair of feeding wheels I38 and I39 (see Figs. 12) mounted on an axle I20 carried by the arms of a pivoted yoke IQI.

This yoke has its spaced arms pivoted on a shaft 32 extending thru the plates Ill, and it the forward or U-shaped part of the yoke where it spans the'worksupporting plate 6! is a bridge I44 engaged by a set screw I65 threaded thru the cross-portion I46 of the yoke, thus providing an adjustment for height and bearing of the feeding wheels I38 and I3 9 against the top of the strip 2! and in cooperative feeding engagement with the bottom feeding wheel I35.

The top pair of feeding wheels are preferably mounted on a hub I49 (see Fig. 17), and the shaft I 30 on which they are secured is, preferably, positivelyrotated by a gear I50 secured to the outer end of the shaft I40 and meshing with the gear I! on the lower shaft I3! which carries the driven gear 98 and, hence, imparts positive rotative movement to each.

To hold the yoke I l! in yielding engagement, I prefer to arrange a spring I53 secured at one end to a pin in the yoke I40, with its opposite end attached to a pin in the side of the supporting plate 6!. Thus, during the rotative-action caused by the pawl I00 on the gear 99 successive movement is imparted to the feeding wheels I I0, I35, and the double'wheels I38 and I39, as will be readily appreciated. In order to provide the rotation of the barrel 60, supporting This segment I56 is pivotally mounted on a shaft I5! attached to the portion 35 of the beam, and oscillating motion is imparted to the rock segment I56 by a link I58, having one end pivoted at I59 to the segment and the other end pivotally secured at I60 to a disc I6I, which is attached to a shaft I62, which shaft, in turn, is mounted in a bearing I63 supported to the beam by a bracket I64, (see Fig. 2)- and receives rotative action from a driving portion of the cutting and heading machine.

Forthis purpose, I provide a gear I65 mounted on a part of the frame and adapted to mesh with a gear on the driving wheel 5 or other convenient moving part of the cutting and heading machine. From this gear I65 thru a set of bevelled gears I66 and I6'!, and I68 and I69, operating on shafts I and I'll, respectively, (see Fig. 1), I rotate the shaft I62 by connecting the same thru universal joints I13 and I'M and a shaft I15, (see Figs. 1 and 2), whereby rotation of the shaft I62 thus imparts oscillating action to the rock gear I65, which thereby alternately turns the strip carrier and its associated parts thru alternate arcs of 180 in timed relation to the nail-cutting and heading dies and devices In order to insure a bearing adjacent the gear I55, I provide an encircling strip I80 positioned about a circular bearing I8! secured to the barrel 60 and overlapping portion of the supporting plate 6!, which strip, in turn, is also secured to the portion 35 of the beam.

Any suitable arrangement for uniting the barrel 60 and supporting member 6! may be employed, but preferably I utilize a plurality of U-shaped bolts I83 so that both the barrel or stack 22 and the adjacent portion of the plate 6! will be substantially and strongly united.

It is desirable to have an automatic signal which will notify the attendant when the last strip in the stack 22 has been reached to permit the attendant to then refill the barrel 60 with an additional quantity of strips. For this purpose, I provide an automatic signaling device, as

best shown in Fig. 4. Mounted on the barrel 60 by a pair of lugs I88, I88 is a sliding rod I90 having secured thereon by set screws in adjustable position collars I9I, I9I, one of said collars being fitted to compress a coiled spring I92 between the collar and the adjacent lug I88. The outer end of the rod I90 may beprovided with a knob I93 in position to be engaged by an upstanding post I94 secured in a sliding cup-shaped member I95 fitted within the outer end of the barrel 69, said barrel having a slot I96 thru which the post I94 may slide. A plug I9! is rigidly secured to the open end of the barrel and a coiled spring 290 exerts an expansible action on the plug I9! and the sliding member I95 carrying the post I94.

This plug I9! may be attachably and quickly fitted to the end of the barrel by a bayonet joint comprising a slot and a pin 202, so that when the stack 22 of strips are fitted in the barrel 60 and positioned firmly against the gate H2 and under the tension of the leaf spring I2l, the barrel 60 can be closed by fitting in the springpressed members just described which are held united by a central rod 203, with the forward end of the rod pinned to the sliding portion I95 by a pin 294, and the rearward portion held by the bayonet joint attachment. This is arranged so that the member I 95 bears against the end of the stack 22 and will be kept spaced from the rod I90 until the last strip in the stack 22 has dropped below the gate H2 and has been moved forwardly by the feeding wheels, whereupon the spring 206 forces the sliding portion I95 forwardly, the rod I94 strikes and moves the horizontal rod I90 forwardly and is actuated to effect a signal, such as a light, hell, or the like.

For this purpose I attach to the forward end of the rod 590 insulated plate 205 carrying a pair of contacts 286 and 281 connected by a currentconducting plate 2I0, with said contact points in alignment to engage strips 2 and 2I2 respectively on an insulating plate 2M secured on a housing 2I5 attached to the adjacent portion of the frame 58. By this arrangement an electrical circuit is completed thru the wires 2I6 and 2H and a battery 2| 8 to a signal 229, indicating to the operator that this particular machine is ready .to have the magazine replenished.

The operator has all the time in which it takes to fit the lower strip 2| lengthwise of the barrel 60 and supporting plate 6|, and thereafter the machine automatically takes care of its requirements until the entire mass of the stack 22 has been used up, when another signal will be made.

In order to provide a retrograde or backward movement to the strip 2|, when desired, I provide means which will reverse the rotation of the set of strip-feeding wheels I35, I38, and I 39. For this purpose I arrange on the slide 90, actuated by the wheel 88 as it rides on the cam 85, a reverse pawl and ratchet wheel, thus effecting a reverse rotation of the gear wheels and consequently of the feeding wheels. It is desirable, however, that such a retroactive or backward movement be very slight compared to the forward feed movement imparted by the feeding action of the pawl I09 and its gear 99. Consequently, I mount an extra gear wheel with very fine teeth 225, (see Figs. 19, 20, and 21) on the shaft I09 and position a pawl 226 in alignment therewith to engage and partially rotate this gear wheel 225 in reverse direction from that of the forward feeding pawl and gear when the roll 88 moves downwardly on the lowest part of .the cam path 85, which happens at each end of the 180 rotative oscillation period.

Inorder to operate the wheel 225 the short distance required for this action, I mount the pawl 226 at 227 on one end of a lever 228, which lever is mounted on a pivot 229 on a lug 230 secured to a cross-bar 23I on the upstanding members 92.

At the opposite end of the lever 228 is a pivot 232 joining with the lever 233, which lever has its opposite end pivotally secured at 234 to the slide 96. A coiled spring 236 normally holds said slide 98 abutting against the cross-brace 9|, one end of said spring being attached to a post 231 on the slide and the opposite end at a fixed point, as shown in Figs. 19 and 20. A spring 240 having its end fitted thru an opening in the pivot 229 is positioned to bear against the pawl 226 to hold the end of same in engagement with the teeth 225. Secured to the slide 90 in position to be engaged by a cam surface 238 on the underneath part of the pawl 226 is a stop 242. Consequently as the slide 90 moves to the right, carrying the pin 242 therewith, the cam surface 238 rides up over the pin 242 lifting the end of the pawl 226 out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 225 and does not permit the pawl to engage the teeth until the last retrograde action of the slide 90 just before the roll 88 comes to rest on the lowest part of the cam path 85. Hence there is a very slight retrograde movement imparted by the pawl 226 and gear 225, withdrawing the strip 2| only slightly from its engagement with the cutting dies, but sufiicient to prevent scarring, roughing, marring, etc.

The operation of my machine has already been described, and it will be appreciated that I have provided a novel and improved nail-cuttingmachine with means for holding a large number of blanks or strips in a stack and in parallelism with each other, operating to permit the lowest blank at a time to be fed from the stack underneath a gate, together with novel and positive gear-actuated feeding means arranged to engage and feed the strip from the forward end as it is withdrawn from the stack and force it into the cutting and heading instrumentalities.

Furthermore, I have provided positive-acting devices which will automatically protect the end of a strip from injury, marring, or dragging across the cutting dies as the strip is rotated for 180 between successive cutting actions by lifting the strip from the bottom die and also by positively retracting or withdrawing the strip slightly'and sufficiently to prevent contact with the dies during this rotative action. Efiicient means are provided for signaling to the operator when the stackis nearly empty, with means to facilitate quick replacement of a plurality of strips in the magazine, thus permitting the machine to work automatically until the entire stack is used up.

Furthermore, by my improved mechanism and the positive feeding devices, the usual waste on strips is practically eliminated, as the entire strip can be fed into the dies with a minimum of waste; whereas, formerly, a substantial part of the end of each strip'had tobe counted as waste because, of the nip required for the feeding weight. The high-speed, improved, and more uniform output, and compactness of my improved machine constitute important advantages.

I claim: I

Automatic feeding apparatus of the kind described for cooperating with nail-cutting and heading machines,,comprising a barrel adapted to hold a stack of strip material, a plurality of spaced circular bearings mounted on said barrel eccentrically with its axis and adapted to maintain the axis in the same alignment during the path of eccentric movement, a pair of fixed guides each adapted to cooperate with said eccentrically mounted circular bearings, means to effect a rotative action on said barrel thru oscillations in timed relation with the cutting and heading machine, said oscillations effecting a horizontal lifting of the barrel and strip being out between successive cutting actions, means to separate the lowermost strip from said stack within the barrel, and gear-actuated gripping wheels to engage theforward end of said strip and feed the same, said feeding gears being actuated intermittently by the oscillation of the barrel, and means to retract said barrel intermittently between cutting actions while maintaining said axis in the same aligned position during theeccentric rotation of the barrel.

J. HENRY SNELL. 

